Author: Kristen

Biffy Clyro North American Tour Announcement!!!!!

Posted on by Kristen

If I could get away with putting a million more exclamation points in that title, I would have done it…anything to express by boundless enthusiasm for this band. If you know me, you are aware of my current obsession with Scottish rockers Biffy Clyro. You also, no doubt, have a copy of Only Revolutions. You, however, may not have been aware of their upcoming North American Tour including  a stop in LA at The Troubadour on March 1st.

The tour doesn’t start for a couple of months now, but tickets are going on sale and I’d recommend that you get them now!

As for the dates and locations:

Feb 10 Rock N Roll Hotel Washington, D.C.

Feb 11 North Star Bar Philadelphia, PA

Feb 12 Gramercy Theatre New York, NY , USA

Feb 13 TT the Bear’s Cambridge, MA

Feb 15 La Sala Rossa Montréal, Quebec, CANADA

Feb 16 Garrison Toronto, Ontario, CANADA

Feb 19 Double Door Chicago, IL

Feb 207th Street Entry Minneapolis, MN , US

Feb 24 Doug Fir Lounge Portland, OR

Feb 25Venue Vancouver, BC, CANADA

Feb 26 The Crocodile Seattle, WA , US

Feb 28  Rickshaw Stop San Francisco, California, US

Mar 1 Troubadour  West Hollywood, CA

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 a live performance!:

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Kristen’s LA Concert Calendar: 12/6-12/12

Posted on by Kristen

Tonight marked the final performance of LMN mainstays, Mississippi Man. I first saw this band play with Get Back Loretta at The Bootleg. I thought they were good. The thing about Mississippi Man, however, is that every time I’ve seen them since, they’ve gotten better and better. They came back from a tour with The Silent Comedy in particularly good form. I’m sure that tonight, their final performance, was their absolute best. But I am sad that I will not get the opportunity to continue to watch them grow and improve. If you haven’t already, you should check out their most recent record, A-OK. Mississippi Man will be missed.

Let’s focus on the flip side of seeing a great band’s last performance; seeing your new favorite band play for the first time. In remembrance of Mississippi Man, let’s make it a point this week to discover some new amazing music. If you need some guidance, might I suggest the following (and there are PLENTY of options this week):

Monday: IO Echo and Haim FREE at The Echo (9pm)
ALSO: The Rescues and Raining Jane at The Hotel Cafe…week two of The Rescues’ winter residency (9:30, 10:30)
ALSO: Jonathan Clark at Molly Malone’s (9pm)
ALSO: Whispering Pines FREE at Spaceland (9pm)
ALSO: It’s a School Night at Bardot featuring Grouplove and The 88…RSVP at http://www.itsaschoolnight.com/ 

Tuesday: Eastern Conference Champions Record Release at The Hotel Cafe (9:30)
ALSO: Rob Crow (of Pinback) at Spaceland (10pm)
ALSO: Kitten at The Echo (9pm)
ALSO: Edie Cary at Genghis Cohen (8pm)
ALSO: Street Drum Corps at The Roxy (10pm) 

Weds: So & So at The Hotel Cafe (10pm)
ALSO: Assemble the Skyline at The Mint (10pm)
ALSO: Maren Parusel at The Silverlake Lounge (9pm)
ALSO: Natalie Cole at Walt Disney Concert Hall (8pm) 

Thursday: Scars on 45, Joey Ryan and Kenneth Pattengale, Taylor Locke & The Roughs at The Hotel Café (8,9,11)
ALSO: The Janks at Bootleg Theater (11pm)
ALSO: Aimee Mann’s Christmas show at Largo (8pm) 

Friday: Sabrosa Purr, Darling Stilettos, and Camp Freddy at The Roxy (9pm)
ALSO: Mike Doughty at Bootleg Theater (10pm)
ALSO: Kina Grannis at The El Rey
ALSO: NEEDTOBREATHE and The Daylights at The Musicbox
ALSO: The Dandy Warhols at Club Nokia
ALSO: Warpaint at The Troubadour (10pm)
ALSO: A Silent Film at The Viper Room (10:30)
ALSO: Aimee Mann’s Christmas show at Largo (8pm) 

Saturday: Truth and Salvage Co. and The Black Crowes at Hollywood Palladium…The Black Crowes FINAL LA show
ALSO: Rockdrive 2010 featuring Aqualung, Cary Brothers, Rocco Delucca, Lady Danville, Joey and Kenneth, Chris Pierce, Terra Naomi, Raining Jane, etc. at The Troubadour (7pm)
ALSO: The Other Side of Morning at The Loft (midnight)
ALSO: Roses Pawn Shop at The Hotel Cafe (10pm)
ALSO: Los Sindicate at The Viper Room (10pm)
ALSO: Aimee Mann’s Christmas show at Largo (8pm)                    

Sunday: Marie Digby at The Hotel Cafe (9:30)
ALSO: Warpaint at The Troubadour
ALSO: Aimee Mann’s Christmas show at Largo (8pm)                                                                                        

To Keep in Mind:
December 14th: After Midnight Project at The Key Club
December 17th-19th: The Hotel Cafe Christmas Party
December 18th: Fat City Reprise, The Shakers, and Red Circle Underground at The Viper Room
January 22nd: Guster at The Music Box
Feb 9th: Tina Dico at The Troubadour
Feb 16th: Nicole Atkins at The Troubadour
March 1st: Biffy Clyro at The Troubadour 

~ Kristen

Pepper’s Ghost Countdown: 7 Weeks!

Posted on by Kristen

I’m more than a little excited to tell you that my first favorite band (you know, the one that got me into…well every other band I’ve ever fallen in love with) is playing a reunion show January 22nd at The Grape Room in Philadelphia.

Pepper’s Ghost is a rocky/poppy/Beatles-esque band from Philadelphia, PA. The group centers around two brothers, Anthony and Michael Montesano, who share in the singing, specializing in catchy choruses and hypnotic harmonizing. Joining Anthony and Michael is Zil (Pawnshop Roses) on drums, Dave Hartley (War on Drugs, Nightlands) on bass, and Rob Bennett (Automatic Fire) on everything else (keys, guitar, mandolin, saw).

They released their first album, Opening Night, back in 2001. This recording was taken from a live show at The Trocadero and features a horn section and back up choir.  This was followed by an EP in 2002 (Bang) which offers one of my favorite, but rarely performed Pepper’s Ghost songs “Addiction.” In 2005, the band released their record label debut, Shake the Hand that Shook the World. This CD is full of fun poppy sing-along friendly tunes, including my college anthem, “Friday Night in Philadelphia.”

Shake the Hand that Shook the World got Pepper’s Ghost their first big national tour. It also got the band a number one hit on the singles chart in Canada with “You’re In My Heart (Little Pretty).” In the aftermath of this release, the band seemed to take a turn to an edgier, more rockin’ sound exemplified in their 2006 The Vet EP with songs like “Dirty Bomb” and “4 Letter Friend”. The following year they released their most recent CD, Let The Players Have the Ball. This CD was also a live recording featuring some old favorites, a few new tunes, and even a Bowie cover (“Cracked Actor”).

And now you know a tiny bit more about my favorite band. Only 7 weeks until I get to see them again. Let’s get excited!

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~ Kristen

for last week’s countdown post

Scarlet Grey “The Sky & I” Video

Posted on by Kristen

It’s done! The video Amanda and I had the pleasure of working on with Scarlet Grey was released today! I am so proud to have been involved in this project. I think the final product looks amazing! Major props to it’s director (and editor), Baley Wynn, and everyone else involved.

Come celebrate with us Thursday night at The Troubadour. Music provided by Your Arsenal, Assemble the Skyline, Killola, and, of course, Scarlet Grey!  

Watch, enjoy, and especially appreciate the shot a little over a minute and a half in of the slowly sinking sugar cube…not easy folks, not.easy.

[youtube qvGeq0csgYU]

~ Kristen

Kristen’s Concert Calendar: 11/29-12/6

Posted on by Kristen

I hope everyone had a fantastic holiday weekend. I spent most of mine working. I had one musical interlude Friday night when I ventured to the El Rey to see Dawes. They provided a fun and much needed break. Seeing that I’m going into this week a bit on the exhausted and overworked side, it will be a difficult one, BUT it is the last week I have to teach so after this week, my load should lighten up a bit. Fortunately or unfortunately (depending on how much available time you have), there are quite a few exciting shows this week. I’m especially looking forward to the Scarlet Grey music video premiere event on Thursday (although I hear the video will be up Tuesday…stay tuned).

SO many great options this week. Here are mine:

Monday: John Elliot, Sally Jaye, and The Rescues at The Hotel Cafe…The Rescues are starting their winter residency. Don’t miss it! (7,8,9:30)
ALSO: Chasing Kings FREE at Silverlake Lounge (11pm)
ALSO: Paris Carney and Songwriters in the Round at Room 5 (8,9)
ALSO: Rocco Deluca and Belleruche at Bardot…free with RSVP http://www.itsaschoolnight.com/  

Tuesday: The Frames at The Avalon (7pm)
ALSO: Street Drum Corps at The Roxy (10pm)
ALSO: Kitten at The Echo (9pm) 

Weds: Eve 6 at The Troubadour (9pm)

Thursday: Scarlet Grey and Killola at The Troubadour (9:30,10:30)
ALSO: Everest at The Echo (9pm) 

Friday: Queen Caveat and Killola at The Roxy (8pm)
ALSO: Holly Conlan, Ry Cumming, and Brother Sal at The Hotel Cafe (9,11,12)
ALSO: Ernie Halter at The Troubadour (10pm)
ALSO: Brendan Bensen at Club Nokia (8pm) 

Saturday: Joe Firstman at Saint Rocke (11pm) 

Sunday: Joe Firstman at The Hotel Cafe (10pm)
ALSO: Meiko, Joey Ryan and Kenneth Pattengale at Saint Rocke (8pm)
ALSO: The Howls and Mississippi Man at Bootleg Theater (9,11) 

 

 

To Keep in Mind: 

December 11th: The Black Crowes and Truth & Salvage Co. at Hollywood Palladium
December 14th: After Midnight Project at The Key Club
December 17th-18th: The Hotel Cafe Christmas Party
January 22nd: Guster at The Music Box
Feb 9th: Tina Dico at The Troubadour
Feb 16th: Nicole Atkins at The Troubadour 

~ Kristen